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High school relents on prom tux for girl

Monique Verdin may wear her tuxedo to Ellender High's senior prom

Jody Bergeron and his daughter Monique Verdin, 19, pose Friday at their home with a picture showing her wearing a men's suit to a dance last year at Ellender High in Houma. School officials have told her she cannot wear a tuxedo to Saturday's prom at the school.

Emily Schwarze/Staff

John DeSantisSenior Staff Writer

Published: Monday, March 28, 2011 at 11:29 a.m.

Last Modified: Monday, March 28, 2011 at 11:29 a.m.

HOUMA — Monique Verdin was counting the days and hours to Saturday and her long-awaited high-school prom, while dreading the confrontation that would result when she arrived.

School officials told the 19-year-old senior that if she wears a tuxedo, as planned, rather than a dress, she would be barred admission to Ellender High's prom. But after reviewing case law relating to such cases a decision was made to allow Verdin to wear her rented tuxedo.

"It's a good thing," said the teenager. "They shouldn't have put me through so much trouble like that. I figured they might change their minds because of the letter they got from the ACLU. This is good for my friends because I get to go with them and they get to go and I can have fun with them."

ACLU Louisiana Executive Director Marjorie Esman sent a letter to school officials throughout Louisiana Friday explaining the organization's strong stance on the issue of bans on girls wearing tuxes, boys wearing gowns and bans on same-sex couples buying tickets for proms. The letter said caselaw supports gender-neutral rules and tolerance for diversity.

Verdin said the clothing issue has less to do with social statements than with her refusal to be bound to traditional gender roles.

“Wearing a dress is not my thing,” she said. “Everybody at school knows me, and they don't know me as this girly-girl.”

Cory Butler, Ellender's principal, said he could not discuss the matter.

He referred questions to Tony Authement, supervisor of Terrebonne Parish's public high schools.

“It's a tradition,” Authement said on Sunday. “Tradition, and that is it. Period.”

The rules were under review by attorneys, Authement said. On Monday he said the decision to allow Verdin to attend was made, and that the policy overall would likely be scrapped.

Rules regarding prom attire are not addressed in the districtwide policy manual. But policy at Ellender and the parish's other three public high schools mandates formal attire for prom, specifying gowns for girls and tuxedos for boys.

Authement was asked why the gender-specific prom-clothing policy exists and why the school district is enforcing it. He cites “good order and discipline” as a reason, as cited in a 1987 Ohio court case.

The case, Harper v. Edgewood, was filed by a male and a female student who cross-dressed for their prom and were ejected.

The court ruled in favor of the school, saying “dress regulations are reasonably related to the valid educational purposes of teaching community values and maintaining school discipline.”

Citing conflicting court cases, civil-liberties advocates say neither good order nor tradition are good enough reasons for forcing girls to dress in traditional female garb or boys to dress in traditional male garbs.

Ken Upton, an attorney for Lambda Legal, an organization that litigates gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender issues, said schools can set dress standards for proms but they cannot make those standards gender-specific.

The Gary, Ind., school district had a policy prohibiting clothing “advertising sexual orientation.”

K.K. Logan, a transgender student who showed up at prom in a dress, was denied entry. Lambda filed suit in federal court, alleging that the school violated rights that included freedom of speech, symbolic action and expressive conduct. The settlement for an undisclosed amount of money included revisions of the dress codes.

Title IX of federal-education laws and the First Amendment to the U.S. Constitution, Upton and others said, prohibit the policy.

“If the principal says women should wear dresses or men should wear suits or tuxes, that is not going to pass muster,” he said. “Gender roles can be upheld if they are needed for a legitimate purpose, such as substantial disruption or safety.”

Verdin had not filed a lawsuit, but her father, Jody Bergeron, has spoken to an attorney. The family has also been in touch with the ACLU.

Bergeron, a 41-year-old gauge technician for V&M Tube Alloy, said he stands behind his daughter's decision. He met Butler Friday but said the principal made it clear the no-tux policy would prevail.

“He said it's his rule, that it was his school and, being the principal, he is going to enforce his rules,” Bergeron said.

When informed that the school had relented, Bergeron said the right thing is to throw the gender-restrictive rule out.

"Let the students wear what they want to wear, throw it out the window," he said. "Let girls go with girls if they want, boys go with boys, you can't stop that."

Some of Verdin's classmates said they are aware that she occasionally wears traditionally male clothes. She even wore a men's suit to a previous dance, though Authement says he was unaware of that. He did know that cross-dressing was allowed at such functions when a previous principal was in chage.

One senior, who asked that her name not be used because of potential problems with school administrators, said she and others planned to wait before entering the prom to see if Verdin got in. If she was denied entrance, the girl said, she and her friends were not going either.

Money has been invested in the prom, not only for tuxes and gowns but a party bus that Verdin and her friends plan to travel in before the prom begins.

A varsity soccer and softball player, Verdin is also a member of the Cajun Rollergirls roller derby team. Her favorite subject is English, and her favorite author is Dean Koontz.

Verdin describes herself as an A-B student who favors American Eagle clothing for everyday wear. While not comfortable wearing traditional girl's clothing, she does not regard herself as a transvestite or transsexual.

Verdin will not bring her 32-year-old girlfriend, because school rules state that guests must younger than 21.

The tux, she said is ready for pickup.

“It is paid for, all white with a green vest and a tie that's got a plaid color in it,” Verdin said.

The total cost for the formal wear was $180, which Verdin earned as a produce worker at Cannata's Family Market on West Park Avenue.

She has already kicked in $80 for the party van.

“I just want to go to the prom,” she said.

Verdin is aware that fellow students stood by her.

“It is awesome,” she said, “to have friends who would do that and not go to prom just because I can't get in. But I told them I didn't want them to do that.”

Senior Staff Writer John DeSantis can be reached at 850-1150 or john.desantis@dailycomet.com.

<p>HOUMA — Monique Verdin was counting the days and hours to Saturday and her long-awaited high-school prom, while dreading the confrontation that would result when she arrived.</p><p>School officials told the 19-year-old senior that if she wears a tuxedo, as planned, rather than a dress, she would be barred admission to Ellender High's prom. But after reviewing case law relating to such cases a decision was made to allow Verdin to wear her rented tuxedo.</p><p>"It's a good thing," said the teenager. "They shouldn't have put me through so much trouble like that. I figured they might change their minds because of the letter they got from the ACLU. This is good for my friends because I get to go with them and they get to go and I can have fun with them."</p><p>ACLU Louisiana Executive Director Marjorie Esman sent a letter to school officials throughout Louisiana Friday explaining the organization's strong stance on the issue of bans on girls wearing tuxes, boys wearing gowns and bans on same-sex couples buying tickets for proms. The letter said caselaw supports gender-neutral rules and tolerance for diversity.</p><p>Verdin said the clothing issue has less to do with social statements than with her refusal to be bound to traditional gender roles.</p><p>“Wearing a dress is not my thing,” she said. “Everybody at school knows me, and they don't know me as this girly-girl.”</p><p>Cory Butler, Ellender's principal, said he could not discuss the matter. </p><p>He referred questions to Tony Authement, supervisor of Terrebonne Parish's public high schools.</p><p>“It's a tradition,” Authement said on Sunday. “Tradition, and that is it. Period.”</p><p>The rules were under review by attorneys, Authement said. On Monday he said the decision to allow Verdin to attend was made, and that the policy overall would likely be scrapped.</p><p>Rules regarding prom attire are not addressed in the districtwide policy manual. But policy at Ellender and the parish's other three public high schools mandates formal attire for prom, specifying gowns for girls and tuxedos for boys.</p><p>Authement was asked why the gender-specific prom-clothing policy exists and why the school district is enforcing it. He cites “good order and discipline” as a reason, as cited in a 1987 Ohio court case.</p><p>The case, Harper v. Edgewood, was filed by a male and a female student who cross-dressed for their prom and were ejected.</p><p>The court ruled in favor of the school, saying “dress regulations are reasonably related to the valid educational purposes of teaching community values and maintaining school discipline.”</p><p>Citing conflicting court cases, civil-liberties advocates say neither good order nor tradition are good enough reasons for forcing girls to dress in traditional female garb or boys to dress in traditional male garbs.</p><p>Ken Upton, an attorney for Lambda Legal, an organization that litigates gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender issues, said schools can set dress standards for proms but they cannot make those standards gender-specific.</p><p>The Gary, Ind., school district had a policy prohibiting clothing “advertising sexual orientation.” </p><p>K.K. Logan, a transgender student who showed up at prom in a dress, was denied entry. Lambda filed suit in federal court, alleging that the school violated rights that included freedom of speech, symbolic action and expressive conduct. The settlement for an undisclosed amount of money included revisions of the dress codes.</p><p>Title IX of federal-education laws and the First Amendment to the U.S. Constitution, Upton and others said, prohibit the policy.</p><p>“If the principal says women should wear dresses or men should wear suits or tuxes, that is not going to pass muster,” he said. “Gender roles can be upheld if they are needed for a legitimate purpose, such as substantial disruption or safety.”</p><p>Marjorie Esman, director of the American Civil Liberties Union's Louisiana office, said neither discipline nor tradition are reason enough to violate actions clearly protected by the law.</p><p>Verdin had not filed a lawsuit, but her father, Jody Bergeron, has spoken to an attorney. The family has also been in touch with the ACLU.</p><p>Bergeron, a 41-year-old gauge technician for V&M Tube Alloy, said he stands behind his daughter's decision. He met Butler Friday but said the principal made it clear the no-tux policy would prevail.</p><p>“He said it's his rule, that it was his school and, being the principal, he is going to enforce his rules,” Bergeron said. </p><p>When informed that the school had relented, Bergeron said the right thing is to throw the gender-restrictive rule out.</p><p>"Let the students wear what they want to wear, throw it out the window," he said. "Let girls go with girls if they want, boys go with boys, you can't stop that."</p><p>Some of Verdin's classmates said they are aware that she occasionally wears traditionally male clothes. She even wore a men's suit to a previous dance, though Authement says he was unaware of that. He did know that cross-dressing was allowed at such functions when a previous principal was in chage.</p><p>The teens say they don't understand why Verdin's attire posed a problem.</p><p>One senior, who asked that her name not be used because of potential problems with school administrators, said she and others planned to wait before entering the prom to see if Verdin got in. If she was denied entrance, the girl said, she and her friends were not going either.</p><p>Money has been invested in the prom, not only for tuxes and gowns but a party bus that Verdin and her friends plan to travel in before the prom begins. </p><p>A varsity soccer and softball player, Verdin is also a member of the Cajun Rollergirls roller derby team. Her favorite subject is English, and her favorite author is Dean Koontz. </p><p>Verdin describes herself as an A-B student who favors American Eagle clothing for everyday wear. While not comfortable wearing traditional girl's clothing, she does not regard herself as a transvestite or transsexual. </p><p>Verdin will not bring her 32-year-old girlfriend, because school rules state that guests must younger than 21.</p><p>The tux, she said is ready for pickup.</p><p>“It is paid for, all white with a green vest and a tie that's got a plaid color in it,” Verdin said.</p><p>The total cost for the formal wear was $180, which Verdin earned as a produce worker at Cannata's Family Market on West Park Avenue.</p><p>She has already kicked in $80 for the party van.</p><p>“I just want to go to the prom,” she said.</p><p>Verdin is aware that fellow students stood by her.</p><p>“It is awesome,” she said, “to have friends who would do that and not go to prom just because I can't get in. But I told them I didn't want them to do that.”</p><p>Senior Staff Writer John DeSantis can be reached at 850-1150 or john.desantis@dailycomet.com.</p>